British tradespeople and small business owners are turning to the internet in record numbers to investigate a switch out of diesel, with Google searches for “electric vans” leaping by 143% in March, new figures show.
The analysis, compiled by online comparison site The Van Insurer, part of the Howden group, found that enquiries peaked in the days immediately before the Easter weekend, a period that traditionally sees sole traders, couriers and last‑mile delivery operators reviewing the running costs of their fleets ahead of the busier spring and summer trading months.
With diesel still powering the overwhelming majority of the 4.6 million vans on Britain’s roads, the scale of the surge points to a marked shift in sentiment among operators who have spent the past two years absorbing successive increases at the forecourt. Industry observers say the combination of stubbornly high pump prices, tightening clean‑air zone restrictions in London, Birmingham, Bristol and beyond, and the narrowing premium on new battery‑electric models is nudging even the most reluctant drivers to crunch the numbers on an EV switch.
Ed Bevis, commercial director at The Van Insurer, said diesel operators were bearing the brunt of the current squeeze. “Diesel van drivers are being hit hardest by the current fuel crisis, so it’s hardly surprising we’re seeing a sharp rise in interest around electric vans,” he said.
“Many owners are starting to look towards a future that’s less dependent on fossil fuels and less exposed to volatile fuel prices and running‑cost uncertainty. As a result, we expect demand for battery and hybrid‑electric van insurance to accelerate over the coming months.”
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